s a small child, Madeline Meredith was used to hanging around the tennis courts, watching her older sister practice and play. Even before she was in kindergarten, Madeline knew she wanted to play tennis too.

"I started taking lessons when I was four," Madeline recalls. "I loved it immediately."

It wasn't long before Madeline was ready for more of a challenge. At the age of seven, she started playing tournaments, and in the five years since she began, her enjoyment of the game has only grown.

"I love the competition," she says. "I love practicing and playing. I love doubles and singles. I love traveling and seeing my friends at tournaments," she says.

Practicing three to four hours a day, five days a week, along with fitness workouts several times a week creates a demanding schedule, but Madeline seems to thrive on learning new aspects of the sport.

"I think that working on specific things in my game and mastering them is the most fun," Madeline says. "I love reaching my goals on the court."

Age : (Rank G12s)State : ALDist. Rank : 1Sectl Rank : 1Natl Rank : 12

This attitude, and coaching by Nick Saviano, has helped Birmingham, Alabama resident reach the top of the Alabama rankings, and inside the top 20 in the Southeast.

Not that there haven't been bumps along the way. During the Nike tour this past summer, for example, Madeline strained her bicep and had to withdraw from the event. It was crushing to her, she says, because she had worked so hard to prepare for it.

"I started taking lessons when I was four," Madeline recalls. "I loved it immedietly." But despite disappointment, Madeline's resilience that has helped her bounce back and is now focusing on developing a more aggressive net game.

Although it seems to be part of her personality to stay so positive, it doesn't hurt to "

The entire family plays tennis, she says. "It's a great sport that we can all do together," she adds. The family also spends a lot of time together traveling to tournaments.

With an eye towards playing for Stanford University in a few years, Madeline is having a good time just enjoying a life of tennis along the way.